Undressed By His Arrogance-Chapter 323: Son Of A Bitch!

Sam’s brows shot up. The colour drained from his face. "It’s... it’s me, Sam," he said cautiously.

Winn tilted his head, studying him. "Sam who?"

You could have heard a pin drop. Anna’s sob hitched painfully. Irene stiffened. Tim swore under his breath. Genuine terror gripped the room.

Then Winn frowned thoughtfully and added, "You kinda look like one of the demons I saw in hell."

Sam barked out a relieved, disbelieving laugh. "Son of a bitch!" he snapped, swiping a hand over his face. "You absolute bastard."

Winn’s lips twitched. Then he laughed. Anna made a noise somewhere between a sob and a laugh and surged forward, wrapping her arms around him as carefully as she could manage.

"You gave us quite the fright," she said brokenly, pressing her face into his shoulder.

"I’m sorry, Mum," Winn murmured, one arm lifting weakly to hug her back. "I’m fine. My throat feels like I gargled acid, but... I’m fine."

He looked around again, slower this time, really seeing them—the red-rimmed eyes, the exhaustion carved deep into familiar faces, the way everyone seemed to be holding themselves together with love, even the way Tim held his mother’s hand.

His eyes searched the room for the one person who mattered most.

Ivy wasn’t there.

His smile faded just a notch, concern flickering through the lingering haze. "Where’s Ivy?" he asked quietly.

"She’s fine," Sam said quickly.

Winn frowned faintly, the lines between his brows deepening. His body was still heavy, still aching, but his mind painfully aware of absence. "Then why isn’t she here?" he asked.

Evans stepped in. "She’s been on her feet for hours," he explained gently. "Her blood pressure was through the roof. The doctors insisted she rest. She fought them, of course." A faint, fond smile tugged at his lips despite everything. "She’s right next door. Sedated. Sleeping."

That was all Winn needed to hear.

Before anyone could stop him, he shoved the covers off his body, the sheets tangling around his legs as his bare feet hit the cool hospital floor.

"Winn!" Anna exclaimed, panic flaring as she reached for him. "What are you doing?"

"I’m fine," he said automatically, even as the room tilted slightly. Evans was there instantly, steadying him with a firm arm around his back. "I want to see her."

They moved slowly down the corridor. Right outside the next room stood Reese, straight-backed and alert.

"Mr Kane," Reese said. "It’s good to see you on your feet again."

Winn managed a thin smile. "Thank you, Reese." Then, more urgently, "How is she?"

"Sleeping," Reese answered.

Winn nodded. They guided him inside and settled him carefully into a chair beside the bed. Ivy lay there, peaceful. Her lashes rested against her cheeks, lips slightly parted, hair fanned across the pillow.

Right before he’d lost consciousness, drowning in poison and darkness, one regret had burned brighter than the pain: that he had never married her.

He reached out carefully, taking her fingers in his. He lifted her hand and pressed a reverent kiss to her knuckles. "Hey, baby," he whispered softly, knowing she couldn’t hear him. "I’m still here."

Behind him, the room filled quietly—Sam leaning against the wall with his cane, Anna hovering anxiously, Evans and Irene exchanging loaded glances. Winn straightened slowly, still holding Ivy’s hand.

"Okay," he said hoarsely, turning to them with a faint, crooked smile that carried exhaustion. "So... who wants to fill me in on what happened?"

It came out in pieces, jagged and overlapping. No one told the story straight through. They couldn’t. There were too many emotions tangled in it—fear, guilt, fury, awe. Sam interrupted Evans. Anna cried halfway through Irene’s explanation. And through it all, Reese stood quietly at the edge of the room, arms folded, the only one who had actually been there, the only one who had seen Ivy with a gun in her hand and murder in her eyes.

Winn listened, jaw clenched, eyes fixed on Ivy’s sleeping face as the fragments piled together into a whole that made his chest ache.

By the time the room fell silent again, Winn felt like he’d lived an entire lifetime in the space of ten minutes.

"So," he said finally, "she saved me."

No one contradicted him.

"It was stupid," he added. "Reckless. Insane." His thumb brushed absently over Ivy’s fingers. "And she saved me anyway."

The woman who argued with him, challenged him, pushed back against his darkness—she hadn’t hesitated. The mother of his children. His soon-to-be wife.

Winn exhaled slowly, then lifted his gaze to the others. "So I guess Tom knows everything now, huh?"

Evans nodded.

Winn’s eyes shifted then, honing in on Tim, who stood near the foot of the bed, Anna’s hand still clasped tightly in his.

"What are you doing here?" Winn asked flatly.

Tim met his gaze. "Just wanted to make sure you made it through."

"I did," Winn replied coolly. A beat. Then, razor-sharp, "You’re still here."

"I guess I should go then."

He leaned in toward Anna, intent clear, to kiss her forehead but Winn cleared his throat pointedly.

Tim paused, glanced at Winn, then raised both hands in mock surrender. "Right. Message received." Without another word, he turned and walked out.

Winn turned his glare on his mother, eyes dark. "One Kane down," he drawled. "You planning on fucking another Kane again? Can’t get enough, uhn?"

His mother’s eyes widened, the colour draining from her face. "What? No—why would you even say that?" Anna protested. "He was here for you."

"Was he?" Winn snapped, sharper than he intended but too raw to soften it. "Because from where I am sitting, it looked like he was here for you. And I don’t trust that. Not one bit."

Sam cleared his throat and tapped his cane against the floor. "Alright," he said gently but firmly, eyes sweeping the room. "Why don’t you all step outside for a few minutes. Give us some air."

Anna hesitated, torn, but Irene touched her arm and guided her toward the door. Evans followed while Reese resumed his silent post outside. The door clicked shut.

(2 additional Chapters. Courtesy of @jennifer_willard)